Miss Brill Literary Analysis

Mansfield presents us with Miss Brill, a woman initially content, in a short story of the same name through characterization and selection of detail; a moment of illumination is encapsulated within an overheard conversation, forever changing her.

In the short story “Miss Brill” the protagonist, Miss Brill, is a lonely and isolated woman who likes to spend her Sunday afternoon’s in the park observing everyone around her and listening to their conversations without them knowing. We can infer that Miss Brill has created her own fantasy world to escape the harsh reality of her own life. At the end of the story the audience can come to the conclusion that Miss Brill experienced an epiphany that will change her life.

One of the most vital elements of the story though is the classification of Miss Brill as a dynamic character. Being a dynamic character entail that the knowledge about the character grows and that some kind of change takes place because of the action occurring in the plot. In "Miss Brill" this hinges on the fact that Miss Brill spends her time alone, with almost no actual human contact. Her only means of living life is through that of those around her, she watches their actions, listens to their conversations and acts like a hidden parasite, drawing her own meaning in life by observing others, or as she put it "... there was always the crowd to watch" (Mansfield 259).

In “Miss Brill,” Katherine Mansfield employs theatrical details, animal imagery, and subtle symbolism to reveal that humanity will always desire to avoid isolation through a desperate search for company. When describing the environment that encompasses Miss Brill, Mansfield applies theatrical details to unveil the truth behind Miss Brill’s role in the so-called stage production: Miss Brill holds a fictional role in this societal play and in the lives of those around her. Mansfield also utilizes theatrical details to establish Miss Brill’s desperation to find a place to fit in. Creating a pathetic tone to portray this desperation, Mansfield says that “They were all on stage. [. . .

In Katherine Mansfield’s short story “Miss Brill”, an elderly woman is portrayed as content with her life due to her unique ways of dissolving reality into her own. However, when she finally sees reality for how it truly is, she is brought to the realization of her loneliness. This paper will analyze the hidden qualities of loneliness through Mansfield’s illusions, symbolism, and Miss Brill’s personal revelation.

Miss Brill often finds herself personifying this fox fur, giving it gendered pronouns as opposed to objective pronouns. This indicates how the fur seems to be the only companion or friend that she has, and that she projects her loneliness onto this fox fur. The style of Mansfield’s writing shows that Miss Brill deeply cares about this fur, showing some of Miss Brill’s internal monologue as she takes the fox fur out of its box that afternoon. In the park, Miss Brill finds herself listening in to people’s conversations, as she feels like she can be a part of their lives this way even if it was just for a moment. The deep isolation and loneliness that Miss Brill experiences causes her to long for human connection -- though she never figures out how to achieve it. Also, it is interesting to see how Miss Brill describes the other elderly people in the park around her. She observes that they looked as though they had “just come out from dark little rooms or even — even cupboards!” This is significant because she compares them to her fox fur, which is something that she keeps in a cupboard until she is ready to leave her house again. She makes this comparison between the other elderly people at the park, however she does not make this connection to herself. This could show how Miss Brill separates herself from the other elderly people, because she longs for

Miss Brill lives vicariously through these people’s interactions with each other, which gives her the false notion of her having a perfect life. At the end of the story, Mansfield writes, “But to-day she passed the baker’s by… she thought she heard someone crying” (page 4). It is implied that Miss Brill is snapped back into reality when she fathoms that others acknowledge her presence in a negative way, and that she is in fact the person that is crying at the end. Choosing to believe that her life is one big act is the one “fatal” flaw of Miss Brill. She sets herself up for a crash back into reality once she is introduced to the idea of other people not accepting her for the person that she is, and that is something Miss Brill has a difficult time accepting because she’s perceived life as a fairytale, planned from beginning to end with no one to criticize the plot line. This triggers the realization that she has a severe lack of self-awareness, causing her to begin to criticize herself and look inward on who she really is as a real-life human

She pays attention to the smallest details. "Wasn’t the conductor [of the band in the park] wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new. He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow… Now came a little ‘flutey’ bit—very pretty!—a little chain of bright drops. She was sure it would be repeated. It was; she lifted her head and smiled" (98). Even if she’s only an observer, Miss Brill is an involved observer. She draws enjoyment from simply being in the park atmosphere. However, her enjoyment is more than a passing mood. It’s actually an indication of a deeper emotion—a kind of happiness. This becomes clear after Miss Brill has paid close attention to several small exchanges between people at the park. "Oh how fascinating it was! How she enjoyed it! How she loved sitting here, watching it all!" (99). That Miss Brill does not actually participate in anything is clear to the reader, but not to her. Vicarious involvement in other people’s lives seems to be fulfilling for her, even though there is no actual interplay with others. The most telling evidence that Miss Brill is happy (and that her happiness is based on a false impression) is when she comes to the conclusion that she’s somehow needed at the park. "No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn’t been there; she was part of the performance after all… Miss Brill nearly laughed out loud" (100). This realization eventually moves Miss Brill to

Continuing on, following a detailed social commentary on those around her, a wonderful epiphany strikes Miss Brill; an event that reinforces her developed façade of reality. Fascinated by how the occurrences of the day was comparable to a play, she acknowledges that herself and those around her are “all part of [a] stage” (4). She claims that “she had a part and came every Sunday” and how “somebody would have noticed if she hadn’t been there” (4), revealing her true desire of belonging within a larger body of people

Miss Brill believes people would notice if she were gone because she is an “actress”, “No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn’t been there; she was part of the performance after all” (Mansfield 187). She believes people also view their lives as a play, “Yes, we understand, we understand, she thought-though what they understood she didn’t know“ (Mansfield 188). It is shown Miss Brill does not have a clue that people really are not on the same page as her, they do not visualize their lives as a play, and they do not notice her existence. Miss Brill also uses her imagination to dehumanize the park goers, “she was wearing the ermine toque she’d bought when her hair was yellow. Now everything, her hair, her face, even her eyes, was the same colour as the shabby ermine, and her hand…was a tiny yellowish paw”

Miss Brill continues her everlasting people watching and make-believe creating ways as she sees “an ermine toque and a gentleman in gray meet just in front of her.” (99) This new woman is delighted at the chance of company with this man. He, however, does not feel the same way as the woman did. He “slowly breathed a great deep puff into her face, and even while she was still talking and laughing, flicked the match away and walked on.” (99) The band plays a more soft and tender beat as Miss Brill deeply sympathizes for this woman, watching her as she is thinking “even the band seemed to know what she was feeling.” (99) Miss Brill instantly reverts back to her actress character, trying to avoid vulnerability brought on by the woman in the ermine toque. This doesn’t last long, though, as a young couple sat down on the bench where the elderly couple had been sitting moments before. The young man refers to Miss Brill as “a stupid old thing,” saying “Why does she come here at all – who wants her? Why doesn’t she keep her silly old mug at home? … It’s her fu-fur which is so funny.” (100) These hurtful comments made by the young couple immediately cause Miss Brill to fall out of her actress character. As the protectiveness of that character and her self-deceit crumble, Miss Brill is

There will be many obstacles in life that are too hard for the average human to deal with, but it is how well the obstacles are dealt with that will make a difference. If the obstacles are handled properly, it could have positive effects; however, if they are handled poorly, it could diminish happiness. Katherine Mansfield's short story, "Miss Brill," uses symbol, plot, character, and point of view, to reveal the theme that creating an alternate reality through the lives of other people will not relieve loneliness.

In the short story “Ms. Brill”, written by Katherine Mansfield, the protagonist of the story, an elderly woman by the name of Ms. Brill is characterized by the events she goes through and how they affect her. She is molded and presented to us by how she acts when she is watching the scenery around, how she acts when the young couple talk about her, and what the fur around her neck represents that helps characterize Ms. Brill.

Each Sunday she goes and seats in the park where she spent all the afternoons. Example of her loneliness is when the author says: “Only two people share her "special" seat: a fine old man in a velvet coat… and a big old woman, sitting upright, with a roll of knitting on her embroidered apron. They did not speak. This was disappointing, for Miss Brill always looked forward to the conversation”. This is really frustrating for her. “Although it was so brilliantly fine – the blue sky powdered with gold and great spots of light like white wine splashed over the Jardins Publiques – Miss Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur”. The reader can associate the fur with all things that Mss Brill does not have. Her only company or treasure is what the author describes as “Dear little thing” or “Little Rogue”. This is the only thing that she care and appreciate in her life. In fact, she is reassured and comforted by the presence of the fur around her neck: “Miss Brill put her hand and touched her fur. […] It was nice to feel it again”. The fur symbolizes everything she doesn’t have in her life. It is really sad, to live without some aspirations, without accompany, without somebody who shares happiness and sadness too. Life likes the Mss Brill is too miserable because at the end she did not live her own live. She just stays living the around people’s lives. One example of how the author describes how Miss Brill

Ms. Brill is a story of a woman enjoys the life she lives. Every Sunday she continues her normal routine of going to the park to hear the band play. Each week she looks forward to going to the park as it can be full of surprises, but this Sunday is the beginning of the new season and fresh faces will arise. In Katherine Mansfield’s “Ms. Brill” the theme that is common thought the story is loneliness and delusion. Ms. Brill is not in touch with the reality of her true self as she is in denial of her age, people watching each Sunday makes her feel as if she is a part of something bigger than herself, when in reality she’s just living in a fantasy of her own that will soon be bringing her to reality.